{{Short description|State park in Bucks and Northampton counties, Pennsylvania}} {{distinguish|Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox park | name = Delaware Canal State Park | image = Delaware Canal and towpath, Solebury Township, PA - 2025.jpg | image_caption = Delaware Canal and towpath in [[Solebury Township, Pennsylvania|Solebury Township]] | image_alt = Canal and towpath | image_size = 280 | location = [[Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bucks]] and [[Northampton County, Pennsylvania|Northampton]] counties, [[Pennsylvania]], United States | coordinates = {{coord|40.54957|-75.08476|format=dms|display=inline,title}} <br />(Park office)<ref name="dcsp"/> | free_label = Length | free_data = {{convert|59|mi}}<ref name="dcsp"/> | area = {{convert|985.37|acre|abbr=on}}<ref name="forrey"/> | elevation = {{convert|127|ft}} | established = 1931 | administrator = [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | visitation_ref = | website = {{Official website}} | module = {{Infobox protected area | image_map = Delaware Canal State Park2.PNG | label = Delaware Canal State Park | label_position = left | map_caption = Location in Pennsylvania | relief = 1 | module = [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania State Parks]] }} }} [[File:Lock 19 and State Park Office, Delaware Canal, Lodi, PA - 2025.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Park office by Lock 19 of the [[Delaware Canal]] in [[Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania|Upper Black Eddy]]]] [[File:Lock 5, Delaware Canal, Yardley, PA - 2025.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Towpath and Lock 5 in [[Yardley, Pennsylvania|Yardley]], with the [[Neshaminy Line]] railroad bridge in the background]] [[File:Stoney Run Aqueduct, Delaware Canal, Upper Makefield Township, PA - 2025.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Stoney Run Aqueduct crossing [[Jericho Creek (Delaware River tributary)|Jericho Creek]] in [[Upper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania|Upper Makefield Township]]]] '''Delaware Canal State Park''' is a {{convert|59|mi|m|adj=mid|-long}} [[List of Pennsylvania state parks|Pennsylvania state park]] in [[Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bucks]] and [[Northampton County, Pennsylvania|Northampton]] counties in [[Pennsylvania]]. The main attraction of the park is the [[Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division)|Delaware Canal]] which runs parallel to the [[Delaware River]] between [[Easton, Pennsylvania|Easton]] and [[Bristol, Pennsylvania|Bristol]].

The Delaware River is the longest free-flowing river east of the [[Mississippi River]] in the United States. It serves as a major migration path for [[American Shad]] and [[waterfowl]]. A visitor center is located at [[New Hope, Pennsylvania|New Hope]] and the park management office is located in [[Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania|Upper Black Eddy]]. Within the park are two designated natural areas: Nockamixon Cliffs and River Islands. Recreational opportunities include [[hiking]], biking, [[cross-country skiing]] along the towpath, [[fishing]] in the canal and river, and canal boat rides.

Delaware Canal State Park was chosen by the [[Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources]] (DCNR) and its Bureau of Parks as one of the "25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks".<ref name =mustsee>{{cite web |url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926163600/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 26, 2011 |title=Find a Park: 25 Must-see Parks |access-date=May 26, 2015 |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources}}</ref>

The Delaware Canal State Park frequently floods. The path was restored recently but was washed out again due to flooding in April 2011. Canal paths for the [[Delaware and Raritan Canal]] on the New Jersey side of the Delaware have not suffered the same damage.

==Course== The Delaware Canal runs from the [[confluence (geography)|mouth]] of the [[Lehigh River]] in [[Easton, Pennsylvania|Easton]] along the Delaware River south to [[Bristol, Pennsylvania|Bristol]]. The land along the canal is a mixture of private property and state park lands, with the state park covering some {{convert|830|acre|0}} along the {{convert|60|mi}} of the canal.<ref name="bucks">{{Cite FTP |scale=1:65,000 |url=ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/bucks_GHSN.PDF |server=Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division |url-status=dead |title=2007 General Highway Map Bucks County Pennsylvania |access-date=2006-07-27}}''Note: shows Delaware Canal State Park''</ref><ref name="northampton">{{Cite FTP |scale=1:65,000 |url=ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/pdf/BPR_pdf_files/Maps/GHS/Roadnames/northampton_GHSN.PDF |server=Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Bureau of Planning and Research, Geographic Information Division |url-status=dead |title=2006 General Highway Map Northampton County Pennsylvania |access-date=2006-07-27}}''Note: shows Delaware Canal State Park''</ref>

The course of Delaware Canal State Park is as follows: leaving Easton, the canal enters [[Williams Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania|Williams Township]] in Northampton County, and heads south paralleling the Delaware River.<ref name="northampton"/> The park crosses into Bucks County and passes through the following municipalities: the borough of [[Riegelsville, Pennsylvania|Riegelsville]], the townships of [[Durham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Durham]], [[Nockamixon Township, Pennsylvania|Nockamixon]], [[Bridgeton Township, Pennsylvania|Bridgeton]], [[Tinicum Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Tinicum]], [[Plumstead Township, Pennsylvania|Plumstead]], and [[Solebury Township, Pennsylvania|Solebury]], the borough of [[New Hope, Pennsylvania|New Hope]], back into Solebury Township, [[Upper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania|Upper Makefield]] and [[Lower Makefield Township, Pennsylvania|Lower Makefield]] townships, the borough of [[Yardley, Pennsylvania|Yardley]], back into Lower Makefield Township, and the borough of [[Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Morrisville]].<ref name="bucks"/>

The Delaware River has followed a southeast course until now, but after Morrisville in [[Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Falls Township]] it turns approximately ninety degrees to flow southwest. The canal and park turn southwest earlier and leave the river in Morrisville, cutting off this corner. The park and canal pass through Falls Township to the borough of [[Tullytown, Pennsylvania|Tullytown]], where they again follows a course parallel to the river. From Tullytown the canal passes through [[Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania|Bristol Township]] and ends at the borough of [[Bristol, Pennsylvania|Bristol]].<ref name="bucks"/>

==History== The Delaware Canal stretches from Bristol to Easton along the Delaware River. It was used to haul [[anthracite coal|coal]] and other products from the [[Lehigh Canal]] beginning in [[Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania|Mauch Chunk]] (today Jim Thorpe) to the industrial centers of the [[Philadelphia]] area near Bristol, Pennsylvania. The canal was built in the mid-19th century and ran its last commercial traffic on October 17, 1931. The state bought {{convert|40|mi}} of the canal in 1931 and bought the remaining {{convert|20|mi}} in 1940.<ref name="dcsp"/><ref name="dcspmuseum">{{cite web |url=http://www.canals.org/researchers/Canal_Profiles/United_States/Mid-Atlantic/Delaware_Canal |title=Delaware Canal |access-date=2007-02-27 |publisher=National Canal Museum |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205070937/http://www.canals.org/researchers/Canal_Profiles/United_States/Mid-Atlantic/Delaware_Canal |archive-date=2012-02-05}}</ref>

The Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal and its towpath became Theodore Roosevelt State Park in the early 1950s, when the berms were restored and the canal was refilled with water. The park was renamed Delaware Canal State Park in 1989. The [[U.S. Congress]] designated the Delaware Canal as a Registered [[National Historic Landmark]] and its towpath is a [[National Recreation Trail]].

From the mid 1950s until 2006, visitors to the park were given the chance to explore the canal in mule-drawn canal boats operated from a landing at Lock 11 in [[New Hope, Pennsylvania|New Hope]], and operated north of that point, terminating about {{convert|1|mi|sp=us}} north of the Lock 11 landing, near the Rabbit Run and [[U.S. Route 202]] bridges, but was able to navigate all the way to the Virginia Forrest Recreation Area, about {{convert|4.5|mi|sp=us}} north of the Lock 11 landing for private parties. Due to lack of maintenance of the canal by DCNR and floods, the barge concession was forced out of business.

==Natural areas== Pennsylvania state park natural areas are special areas that are set aside within the state parks to allow the natural condition of biological and physical processes to operate, usually without human intervention. There are two such areas at the Delaware Canal State Park: River Islands and Nockamixon Cliffs. These natural areas are set aside to provide scientists with the chance to observe the natural ecosystems at work and to protect examples of unique and typical plant life, animal [[habitat (ecology)|habitats]], and to protect examples of natural beauty.<ref name="dcspday">{{cite web |url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/delawarecanal_life.aspx |title=Delaware Canal State Park - A Day on the Canal |access-date=2007-01-02 |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061211102207/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/delawarecanal_life.aspx |archive-date=December 11, 2006 |url-status=unfit}}</ref><ref name="dcspna">{{cite web |url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/delawarecanal_naturalareas.aspx |title=Delaware Canal State Park - Natural Areas |access-date=2007-01-02 |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061211182025/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/delawarecanal_naturalareas.aspx |archive-date=December 11, 2006 |url-status=unfit}}</ref>

===River islands=== There are eleven [[island]]s in the Delaware River that are protected from further development. The islands contain [[archeology|archeological clues]] to the past, provide habitats for migrating waterfowl and songbirds, and offer recreational opportunities in a wild setting for fisherman and [[canoe]]ists.<ref name="dcspday"/><ref name="dcspna"/>

Some of the islands were originally part of the shoreline of the river and have since been cut off by the effects of erosion, river movement or intervention by man, but other islands have been built up naturally in the river. These river islands grew from [[silt]] deposits that attracted seeds. The seeds grew into plants and trees. The roots of the plants and trees caused the further building of silt and dirt and lead to the formation of the islands. These islands are mostly stable but can be shifted by the erosion effects of the river and flooding.<ref name="dcspday"/><ref name="dcspna"/>

===Nockamixon Cliffs=== [[File:Narrowsville Lock, Delaware Canal, Nockamixon Cliffs, Nockamixon Township, PA - 2025.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Nockamixon Cliffs next to the Delaware Canal]] The [[cliff]]s along the Delaware River, known as Nockamixon Cliffs, appear to rise from the land, but are in fact formations of very hard stone that have eroded at a much slower pace than the surrounding land. These cliffs are made of weather resistant rock called [[hornfel]], formed at the end of the [[Triassic Period]] when [[magma]] rose up from deep within the Earth's crust and flowed into beds of [[sedimentary rock]]. The cliffs "rose" during the [[Jurassic Period]] when the surrounding [[sandstone]] and [[shale]] was eroded by wind and water.<ref name="dcspday"/><ref name="dcspna"/>

The Nockamixon Cliffs are situated along the river in such a way that the north facing cliffs in Pennsylvania receive little to no direct sunlight, causing their temperatures to be cooler than normal. The cool habitat supports an alpine-Arctic plant community that is very unusual for the [[latitude]] of Delaware Canal State Park. The south facing cliffs in [[New Jersey]] at [[Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park]] have a nearly opposite habitat. They receive a high amount of sunshine, which makes the area near the cliffs warmer and drier than usual, creating a habitat for plants that normally thrive in much more arid areas.<ref name="dcspday"/><ref name="dcspna"/>

==American shad== The Delaware River is used by American shad during their [[Spawn (biology)|spawning]] run. The fish are the largest members of the [[herring]] family. They are an anadromous species, which means they are born and spawn in [[fresh water]] but spend the majority of their lives in salt water (of the [[Atlantic Ocean]]). After spending three to six years at sea, the shad return to the waters of their birth to spawn. Unlike [[salmon]], not all shad die after spawning; some survive and return to the ocean.<ref name="dcspshad">{{cite web |url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/delawarecanal_shad.aspx |title=Delaware Canal State Park - The American Shad |access-date=2007-01-02 |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061211102219/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/delawarecanal_shad.aspx |archive-date=December 11, 2006 |url-status=unfit}}</ref>

The American Shad have long been a vital food resource for the people living along the Delaware River. The [[Lenape]] (or Delaware) tribe depended on the migration of the shad as a staple of their diet. They harvested the fish and prepared them in several ways. Some fish were grilled quickly on wooden racks and others were preserved for later use by smoking them or air drying. The [[Moravian Church|Moravians]] and other early European settlers in the Delaware River Valley also depended on shad for their diets.<ref name="dcspshad"/>

The booming population along the Delaware River, especially in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]], [[Easton, Pennsylvania|Easton]], [[Camden, New Jersey|Camden]] and [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]], led to increased levels of pollution in the Delaware River. Sewage and industrial pollution combined with extensive overfishing nearly led to a total collapse of the shad population. The pollution was so bad that in the years following [[World War II]] nearly {{convert|20|mi}} of the river was a dead zone, free of dissolved [[oxygen]]. This dead zone prevented the migration of shad. [[Dam]]s built during the canal era to provide water for the canals also limited the migration patterns of the shad. The combination of dams and pollution nearly caused the shad to abandon the Delaware River and its tributaries altogether.<ref name="dcspshad"/>

Beginning in the late 1960s, an effort began to re-establish the population of American Shad in the Delaware River basin. Pollution levels dropped tremendously, and [[fish ladder]]s were built to allow the shad to bypass the dams that blocked their way and to migrate further up the river. These efforts have led to the restoration of the American Shad in the Delaware River.<ref name="dcspshad"/>

==Recreation== The Delaware Canal towpath runs along the canal for {{convert|60|mi}} from Easton to Bristol and was once used by teams of [[mule]]s as they towed the barges up and down the canal. Today it is a National Recreational Trail open to walkers, [[jogging|joggers]], [[cycling|cyclists]], [[birdwatching|bird watchers]] and [[cross-country skiing|cross-country skiers]]. Five bridges over the Delaware River connect the paths in Delaware Canal State Park with paths in New Jersey at the [[Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park]].<ref name="dcsp">{{cite web |url=https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/delaware-canal-state-park |title=Delaware Canal State Park |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resource |access-date=2025-12-28}}</ref>

The Delaware River and the Delaware Canal are warm water fisheries. Common game fish include the American shad, [[striped bass]], [[walleye]] and [[smallmouth bass]]. The river is also popular with people who wish to explore it in [[canoe]]s and other small non-powered watercraft. All boats must have a launch permit for Pennsylvania or New Jersey or a current registration from any state.<ref name="dcsp"/>

== See also == {{Portal|Pennsylvania}} * [[List of mountain biking areas and trails in Pennsylvania]]

==References== {{reflist|refs= <ref name="forrey">{{cite web |url=http://paconservationheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/2015-history-of-state-parks-forrey.pdf |title=History of Pennsylvania’s State Parks 1984 to 2015 |first=William C. |last=Forrey |publisher=Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |page=72 |date=2017 |access-date=2026-01-25}}</ref> }}

==External links== {{commons category|Delaware Canal State Park}} *[https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/delaware-canal-state-park Delaware Canal State Park] Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resource * {{cite web |url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/ucmprd1/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_004752.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223525/http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/ucmprd1/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_004752.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |title=Delaware Canal State Park official map}}&nbsp;{{small|(1367&nbsp;KB)}}

{{Protected Areas of Pennsylvania}}

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[[Category:Protected areas established in 1931]] [[Category:State parks of Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Parks in Northampton County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Parks in Bucks County, Pennsylvania]] [[Category:1931 establishments in Pennsylvania]] [[Category:Protected areas of Northampton County, Pennsylvania]]